Fact of the day

Information is the most powerful weapon.

Monday

Fact N°
1819

A common procedure performed on infants amounts to big business in biotech labs.

Male circumcision is routinely performed at hospitals throughout the U.S., despite increasing evidence that it is not necessarily beneficial for the child. The removed foreskin, however, is often grown into thousands of square feet of new tissue by biotech labs, and can be used as skin for burn victims and to help manufacturer insulin among other uses. The circumcised skin of one child can be extrapolated into 250,000 square feet of new skin and sold at $3,000 per square foot.

Tuesday

Fact N°
1820

The "Presidential shell game" refers to a security maneuver performed by the U.S. Marines.

Established under Eisenhower, the Marine One helicopter serves to carry the U.S. president from the south lawn of the White House to points nearby or to the tarmac where Air Force One awaits. However, "Marine One" is the President's exclusive call sign, not a helicopter designation. A handful of HMX-1 helicopters play the part of Marine One, dependent on which one the president is on. When transported this way, three or four identical HMX-1 helicopters fly together -- referred to as the "Presidential shell game" -- to confuse anyone looking to shoot the President down.

Wednesday

Fact N°
1821

Tickets to the Toronto Maple Leafs are the most expensive in the NHL.

Since the 2007-08 season, tickets to see the Toronto Maple Leafs have been the most expensive in the league, although average prices for the 2009-10 season are far and away the most expensive in recorded league history, and at $117.49, the only average ticket price ever to cost $100 or more.

Thursday

Fact N°
1822

The record for most T-shirts worn at once is 224.

This record was set by Charlie Williams, a citizen of the United Kingdom, who managed to put on 224 T-shirts at St. Anthony's Primary School in Essex, UK, in September of 2007. The record attempt was organized by itiswhatitis, a web site that sells - what else - T-shirts.

Friday

Fact N°
1823

The stench of the durian fruit is so strong that it is banned in many public places.

The durian is native to Indonesia and Malaysia and many consider it a delicacy, but its odor is so strong, so distinctive and, to many, so offensive that some Asian countries ban the fruit from rapid transit and other public places. Many famous travel writers and celebrity chefs have commented on the durian, including Anthony Bourdain, who famously said that after eating the durian, "your breath will smell as if you'd been French-kissing your dead grandmother."

Saturday

Fact N°
1824

Nine different cameras caught Jack Ruby shooting Lee Harvey Oswald.

Four film cameras, two video cameras and three still cameras were trained on Oswald as he was led through the basement of the Dallas Police Headquarters handcuffed to Detective Jim Leavelle. They were headed for the private car of Captain J. W. Fritz, which was backing up to meet them and had been chosen for transport while a police van acted as a decoy.

Sunday

Fact N°
1825

No less than 1 of every 7 young Chinese internet users is believed to be addicted.

According to the China Youth Association for Network Development (CYAND), there are 24 million people between the ages of 18 and 23 in China suffering from an "internet addiction." Although no standard exists to clinically define internet addiction, Chinese authorities consider the person addicted if they meet one of three requirements: they "always want to use the Internet," they become depressed if they can't use the internet, and they feel happier online than in real life.